344 bodies found on rail tracks in 4 months
LUDHIANA: At least two bodies on an average are found on railway tracks across the state each day and the Government Railway Police (GRP), Punjab, is struggling hard to dispose them of in the absence of required resources.
A total of 398 railway deaths were reported in the state from January to April this year. This includes 243 deaths in railway accidents, 101 suicides on the tracks, 47 natural deaths, two by electrocution and four in road accidents on railway premises.
In January, the railways witnessed a total of 82 deaths, 85 in February, 108 in March and a maximum of 123 deaths in April.
Ludhiana, which is the busiest station in the state, topped the charts with a maximum of 86 bodies found in the past four months followed by Jalandhar where a total of 72 bodies were recovered from the tracks and Bathinda which witnessed a total of 54 railway deaths.
Total 45 railway deaths were witnessed in Sirhind, 44 in Amritsar, 30 in Patiala, 18 in Sangrur, 16 in Pathankot, 14 in Abohar, 10 in Faridkot and nine in Ferozepur till April this year. Out of a total of 101 suicides at the railway tracks, Bathinda reported the highest number of 30 suicides this year.
GRP struggles to dispose of bodies
In the absence of immediate release of funds for getting the body cleared from the tracks and taking it for the autopsy followed by cremation in case of an unclaimed body, the GRP is facing a long delay by the department as they have to spend around Rs 5,000 from their own pockets each time a body is recovered on the tracks.
Notably, GRP staff is given Rs 5,000 for the disposal of each corpse, including ambulance and cremation costs, but the bill for the same is sanctioned from the Ferozepur office which takes over a month to clear. “In case an investigating officer gets to dispose of three bodies in a month, he/she will spend a hefty amount from their own pocket and the clearance of the bill takes time which disturbs the budget of the staff. Money should be transferred to the accounts of the staff so that they don’t hesitate to perform their duties,” said a GRP officer.
Superintendent of police (investigations), Parveen Kumar Kanda, who is also the handling additional charge of AIG, GRP, Patiala, said the request to resolve the money issue has been forwarded to the seniors.